Ohio Ministry Network

Ohio School of Ministry

Who is the Ideal Student?

As exciting as the option of a local venue such as the Ohio School of Ministry is for those seeking credentials, that is really just the beginning of the benefits a training center like this can bring.  While there are three central tracks for ministers wanting to be credentialed with the Assemblies of God (certified, licensed, or ordained), additional tracks are available for anyone interested in greater Bible knowledge, those involved in children's ministry, and lay people ministering in the local church and community.

What a great tool for ministers who have been wanting to make the time to revisit Acts, Psalms, or end-time prophecies, or for church members who want to take their understanding of God's Word to a much deeper level!

Courses on Leadership Skills, Cultural Context, and Pentecostal Doctrine would be a tremendous plus for church board members, staff members, and other church leaders, regardless of their credentials.  The bi-vocational ministry candidate who currently studies for a secular degree at an Ohio college can simultaneously prepare for ministry at a reasonable pace.

Thankfully, the potential for additional benefit will involve a largely "untapped" resource of talented, gifted leaders and ministers.  These individuals span Ohio's diverse landscape, including urban, rural, ethnic, and immigrant settings, and they will find significant advantages to the network ministry school.  In addition to the low cost and close proximity, live interaction with caring instructors allows time and opportunity to ask questions and gain clear, culturally-relevant answers that make sense.

What's in a Weekend?

The Ohio School of Ministry follows a model enjoying tremendous success in more than twenty Assemblies of God districts across the nation.  Students arrive on Friday evening, already having finished their individual study of the assigned textbook, including answering all the questions found on the course overview.

Two and a half hours of Friday night instruction, including a review of questions/answers on the course overview, are followed by a written exam on Saturday morning and then two and a half additional hours of instruction.

Most students are headed home by 12:15 p.m. on Saturday.  To alleviate exam anxiety, students will hear this reminder often: "Every exam question appears on the course overview, but not every course overview question appears on the exam." 

A passing grade of 70% or higher is achieved by combining scores from three key areas: 40% is based on the graded course overview, another 40% from the exam score, and the remaining 20% comes from class attendance. 

A block of rooms has been reserved at two area hotels for each OSOM weekend.  Please see the section on housing below for more details. 

Other weekend features include great conversation, spontaneous prayer/study sessions, and the launching and continuation of quality ministry friendships.

For a more detailed look at what the time line of the weekend looks like Click Here.

What about Bible College?

For decades, Ohio has been a leading contributor to the makeup of student bodies at endorsed Assemblies of God schools around the country (www.colleges.ag.org).  Year after year, Evangel University, Central Bible College, Southeastern University, Valley Forge, and others report that Ohio ranks among the top districts for sending students their way.  Praise God, and may the support from Ohio only grow stronger!  A ministry degree from an AG college or university is the finest quality education our ministers can find.  This training route receives Ohio's highest recommendation. 

In addition, Global University/Berean offers outstanding Bible and ministry correspondence study materials.  In fact, more AG ministers have been educated through Berean than any other college or institution.  The New Berean series (www.globaluniversity.edu) features a complete rewrite of all the credentials courses and, simply put, the materials are top-shelf.  Any student, minister, or church member would be served well by adding these resources to his/her library. 
Several Ohio churches have strong Master's Commission programs for the initial training of young ministers.  Other churches are already approved as a Berean study center, offering weekly instruction of the credentials courses.  In short, there are many streams for individuals to get their feet wet in the arena of ministry education.  The network ministry school is another stream. 

So, just imagine the partnership opportunities the Ohio School of Ministry can initiate:

After several months of instruction, sharing, and prayer at OSOM, a student receives confirmation that full-time ministry and full-time Bible college training are included in God's plans for his life.

The February dates for OSOM work just fine, but there is a problem for a student with March.  Without missing a beat, the student is introduced to the Berean correspondence system and remains on course to complete her credentialing level that year. 

The Ohio School of Ministry is not a replacement for any of these existing streams.  It is, however, a vibrant stream, another route for entry to ministry and resourcing church health!

What about Credentialing?

Each of the three credentials levels with the Assemblies of God comes with its own list of required educational courses.  OSOM offers training for all ages and callings in these courses.  It is important to note that completion of OSOM courses does not equal credentialing.  That is a separate process with its own set of forms, exams, and interviews.

Two times each year, an informative, free, and required "New Credentials Orientation" is held for individuals interested in first-time Assemblies of God credentials, or for those who were previously credentialed in another district and wish to upgrade in Ohio to the next level. 

To reserve your spot at the next orientation on March 13, 2012 at OMN, call Amy Rasnake at 614.396.0700 no later than March 1st.

What Is the Schedule of Classes?

2012 - Click Here

How Do I Register For Classes?

On Line Registration - Click Here

Click on the month you plan to attend to print a hard copy registration form. (Note: Beginning for May's courses, hard copy registration forms will no longer be available; registration will only be available online)

What about Housing for the Weekend?

The following hotels have blocks and/or special rates for Friday night:

Wingate Inn (614.844.5888)

Located next door to the Network Resource Center. The block rate is $65.00 per night (+ tax). The Wingate does have free hot continental breakfast, and a shuttle which provides free transportation to the Network Resource Center as well as the entire Polaris retail area. When you call, you'll need to give them the following codes for each month and reserve a room by the date listed.

  OSOM                   Reserve By               Code

For further information visit: Wingate Inn Info 

Fairfield Inn & Suites (614.568.0770)

Located behind the Network Resource Center. There is no formal block, but just ask for the Ohio Ministry rate, which is $92.00 per night (+ tax) for a Standard Double Queen room and $99.00 per night (+ tax) for a King room. The Fairfield does have free hot continetal breakfast.

For further information visit:  Fairfield Inn Info

Note: If you would like the Network Resource Center to share your name and contact information with other OSOM students of the same gender for splitting hotel room expenses, please send an email message to: osom@ohioministry.net.

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More Questions??

Contact us at osom@ohioministry.net.